Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Asia’s richest person, Mukesh Ambani, has earned recognition as one of the most prominent watch collectors worldwide. He owns a jaw-dropping array of rare and highly collectible luxury timepieces. His collection reflects his preference for prestigious brands such as Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, and Audemars Piguet, with many of his watches being limited-editions or one-off pieces.
Anant was recently spotted strolling in a mall in Dubai, surrounded by a massive entourage mostly made up of security guards. The billionaire scion was seen wearing a $3 million Patek Philippe that’s almost completely covered in diamonds and sapphires. The eye-watering price tag is hardly a surprise, considering several watches from Anant’s collection are priced much higher. However, there’s something different this time around. The timepiece seen on the 29-year-old’s wrist is a ladies’ watch.
The watch in question is Patek Philippe’s Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater ref. 5260/1455R-001. Thanks to its multi-million-dollar price tag, it is the most expensive ladies’ watch in the Patek Philippe catalog. The timepiece is set with gemstones on practically all surfaces, including the hour and minute hands. While Anant has a penchant for gem-set watches, it’s the first time he has been spotted wearing a ladies’ watch.
Created exclusively for women, the Aquanaut Luce collection debuted in 2004. Last year, the iconic Swiss watchmaker expanded the lineup with one of its most emblematic Grand Complications: the minute repeater. This over-the-top ladies’ watch is a masterpiece of the art of gem setting.
This Haute Joaillerie piece is encrusted with 130 baguette-cut diamonds (8.66 cts) on the dial and 779 multicolored baguette-cut sapphires (45.05 cts) forming a rainbow on the bezel, case sides, and bracelet using the sophisticated “invisible setting” technique.
Mechanically, the timepiece is very similar to other Patek Philippe minute repeater watches. After all, the 38.8mm rose gold case houses the revered caliber R27 movement. The longstanding self-winding movement with its two classic gongs for the minute repeater complication can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback.
When activated, the gongs chime the hours, quarters, and minutes elapsed from the quarter. The movement offers a power reserve of 48 hours. Lastly, the rose-gold bracelet features a patented Patek Philippe fold-over clasp secured by four independent catches.
It’s interesting that Anant chose to wear a ladies’ watch by Patek, especially considering he’s one of the most notable collectors of watches made by the legendary watch brand. His personal collection features several ultra-rare Patek Philippe timepieces, including the three most complex watches made by the Swiss watchmaker.
His $6.5 million Patek Philippe Grand Complication Sky Moon Tourbillon features 12 complications, while the Grandmaster Chime Reference 6300G with 20 complications is worth $9 million. However, the most extraordinary watch from his collection is the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175R “175th Anniversary” worth $40 million.
